Fall Is Here



Fall is here, one of my favorite times of year.  A time when the leaves of fall wave goodbye to the long hot days of Summer.  The cool mornings revive me somehow. It is funny how so many of us look forward to summer and by the end of it can't wait for fall. 

Some of my favorite things about fall are:

1.  The changing of the leaves.  I posted once about how the leaves turn from green to reds and oranges and how we can relate this to our lives.   The Bible tells us to be instant in season and out.  Our lives should reflect the goodness of God no matter what our 'leaf color' is. 

2.  Fall puts me in the mood to decorate my home.  I love to get out my pumpkins, indian corn and fall leaves and place them in various places of my home.  I love family traditions and my Mom loved decorating her house for the different seasons and that is why I guess I love it so.

3.  Halloween,  a fun time to get together with family and friends and just be silly.  We have a tradition of dressing up.  In order to come to our Halloween party you have to be in costume.  This picture is of my sister and I.  She came as a clown and I was the infamous 'Octo-Mom'.    My sister, my two brothers and myself always went Trick or Treating.  Back (in the stone-age) we would get a large brown paper sack and off we would go into the neighborhoods (right by ourselves) and fill them up with all kinds of candies and delights.  Things have changed now we wouldn't dare let our little ones go out Trick or Treating without an adult.   



Adults Being Silly



 The babies love it, they love dressing up and pretending to be Barbie or a Rock Star or a Transformer.  

Yes, Fall is one of my favorite times of the year.  It is a time for family to come together and share in fun and laughter and most of all love.  Just like a warm October fire, love burns brighter if shared with family and friends.

                                                                     T

BC Powders and Vicks

I can't remember when I started taking BC Powders.  Years ago my Mom took them and they were the household thing you would grab when your head was pounding or you felt like pounding someone. They were great at relieving pain and stress. 
I must confess I have been taking them for over 20(+)years and have over the past few years taken 2 or 3 per day.  Why do you take them? (my Doctor asked of me).   Do you have a headache....No......Do you have pain?.....No, I just take them, my Mom took them so now I take them.   Isn't it funny how we do something just because our Mother did it or our Great-Grandmother did it.  
That brings up something else I do just because.   My Grandfather years and years ago got me started on Vicks vapor rub.  He would lather it on his chest and under his nose and assured me that you couldn't go to sleep at night without doing this ritual.   So at night before I say my prayers, I lather on the Vicks (of course my husband just loves the romantic aroma that it brings into our room).    I have now passed this on to my Grandchildren, when they spend the night with me and we all 4 climb into my warm and comfy bed, we pass the jar of vicks around and each one of them wipes a swipe under their little nose.
Passing down things to each other through this life-cycle is what makes us unique and quirky.  I can't imagine my life without the many priceless things my parents and grandparents passed down to me.  And I look forward to many more nights of climbing in bed with Jesse, Macy and Cole and the minty smell of Vicks.  Now for the BC Powders, I have finally had to give them up.  I just found out I have an ulcer from the years of taking them.  Oh well, the ride was good while it lasted.  The BC's did what they were meant to do, even tho I have an ulcer - I will always look at a box of BC's and think of my dear Mom.
And later in life, my Grandchildren will go to bed and beside their nightstand will be a jar of Vick's and they will think of me.

I Love You To The Moon and Back - Grandparents Day

I woke up this morning and lying in the bed next to me were three of the most beautiful children in the world, my Grandchildren.  They love spending the night with us and I usually just go ahead and have all three come and stay at the same time.  Jesse is 9 and tends to be the more sensitive one of the group, while Macy who is age 6 is the class clown of the group and Cole who is also 6 tends to be the loner of the group.  Now by that I mean, give Cole a transformer and you don't see him for hours.  How he ever takes those things apart and then puts them back together again is a mystery to me.  Jesse and Macy play well together, they have their moments and really remind me of when their Moms were little.  Play a little...fuss a little.
I love being a Grammy to these kids, I use to think I could never love anything like I did their Moms, but I have been proven wrong.  The love a Grandmother has for her Grandchildren is indeed priceless.  I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I am now older and when I was younger, I was too busy working, raising two girls and trying to be a good wife all at the same time.  I am still working now and trying to be a good wife (well some of the time), but I feel like I have more time to be goofy and silly and let these three get away with a lot more than their Moms did.  They definitely have a way of pulling at this Grammy's heartstrings.

Yes today has been a good day - Grandparents Day - my day.  My day to do what I love best, spend it with my Grandchildren.  Love you Jesse Macy and Cole to the Moon and Back!

We Will Never Forget 9/11/2001

I remember September 11, 2001 exactly where I was when our country was attacked.  I was at work and I got a call from my husband telling me "you have to find a TV or a radio, our country is under attack!"  I immediately shared this with one of my co-workers who was sitting by me at the time and she got really scared. She asked me "Is this the end of the world, are we all going to die?"  I didn't have all the answers for her, but of this one thing I was sure, no matter what the outcome God was going to see us through this horrific time.   I was able to share with this co-worker the love of God and that nothing man would ever do to us or our country, would ever take away his love.  Life in the United States would never be the same, so many innocent lives were lost, so many families were broken.  But one true thing became a constant in all of our lives, we were all aware of the great sacrifice that was made for us all by our fellow US citizens.  In the words of President George Bush "Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children.“  We will never forget!

Thankful Thursday

 I was just letting my friend Greg over at the General Store know that I am so 'Thankful' that he is the host every Thursday for 'Thankful Thursday'. 
What am I thankful for:
I am so thankful that in this crazy world we live in that we can still find peace.  I am so thankful that my children do rise up and call me Blessed (well atleast most of the time).  I am so thankful that God gave me 3 of the Best gifts that I could ever ask for...My 3 Grandchildren.  I am so thankful for a great marriage to my sweetheart of 39 years.  I am so thankful that I have a job, while so many are without work.  Yes life is crazy and in the world's eyes things look bleak, but through the eyes of God we have hope and a future...for this I am very Thankful.

Let God Calm the Storm or Calm You

Okay, so today I feel like a sermon is coming on :) If this is not for you, then I can promise you it is for me!!!

Sometimes God calms the storms and Sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child.

Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:21-22


We may never know why some requests are not answered the way we expect them to be answered. It is hard to understand how God seems to move mountains to change one situation and then in our next request he simply seems to be beyond our reach. All we can do is to continue to present our requests to God and believe God will hear our plea and answer. If what we are asking for isn't in line with what God has for us, then I believe He will give us something greater than we could have ever imagined.

Most of the time we have no clue how hard God is working to move in our situation. And for this very reason and because of our belief and faith, we cannot give up on God and what He can do on our behalf. I heard someone say on the radio the other morning, that we all have BIG needs and BIG problems, especially with the economy like it is, BUT, we also on the other hand have a BIG God. He is able to move mountains, turn water into wine, part the seas, the list goes on and on... I think as we look back in life, we are able to see all the ways in which God 'Always' answered the right prayer or request for us. Sometimes God's saying 'NO, not now', was exactly what we needed. And then there are the times that God just says 'NO'. God knows what is best for us and his 'NO's' turn out to be actually the best thing for us.

Today, my prayer for you is that you will exercise your faith and confidence in God and allow him to work in your life. Allow God the opportunity to either calm your storm or to calm you. Like everything in life, it is always about 'timing'...God's timing!!!

Social Networking + I am Back !!!

Okay so I admit it has been along time since I have blogged, not because I haven't had a lot to say or report.  I have been trying out the latest crave Facebook.  It has attacked me like a thief in the night.  At first it started out slow ... I found a couple of people who would accept me as their friend (of course they were my daughters).  Then a few of their friends and some of my family members requested me and I was well on my way into the world of Social Networking. 
When I joined no one told me there would be a daily status, comments, games and likes.  A status..I have to think of a daily status?  I can hardly decide in the mornings if I want vanilla caramel creamer or 2% milk in my cup of coffee and they want me to share a status.   They never told me that after I got home from work the first thing I would do is go to the computer get on this social networking thing and go back to work Farming, taking care of a Zoo, Baking and digging for lost treasures.   Another thing I didn't know was that I would have to decide to  'like' something.   I thought I liked everything and that people knew what I stood for, but I guess you have to make it known by pushing the 'like' button.
I tell you after a year of this, my head hurts from all the farming and plowing I am doing, our laundry has been neglected, dinner...what is dinner? 
I think I need to solve this once and for all go back to blogging because it never took up any of my time.  I only need to check in with Linda at 2nd cup of Coffee and see what she has got brewing for the day.  Check in with Fuschia for my daily devotion and be sure and get my Thankful Thursday in and check in on all my blogging buddies and comment on their post. 
Yes that is what I need to do as a matter of fact I might just try and do both (but give up the farm, the zoo, the bakery and the Island of Treasures).

BEAUTIFUL CHRISTIAN SISTER

By Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ

That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian'

I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living,

' I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.

' When I say... 'I am a Christian'

I don't speak of this with pride.

I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'

I'm not trying to be strong.

I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian'

I'm not bragging of success.

I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'

I'm not claiming to be perfect, My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say.... 'I am a Christian'

I still feel the sting of pain... I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian'

I'm not holier than thou, I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow! Pretty is as Pretty does...

But beautiful is just plain beautiful!

Cruisin' Pics

As promised, here are a few of mine and 'hubbie's' cruise pictures from the trip we just took to Mexico. We had a blast and it was so relaxing. This was our 10th cruise and this time we relaxed more than we ever had before on a cruise. We did not do any excursions, we stayed up late and got up when we wanted to, we ate 24-7, we shopped a little and mainly just enjoyed being together, just the two of us. I highly recommend this kind of vacation to everyone!

Cozumel and Costa Maya Mexico Aboard The Grandeur of the Seas

The Cross Made The Difference For Me

Twas a life filled with aimless desperation

Without hope walked the shell of a man;

Then a hand with a nailprint stretched downward,

Just one touch then a new life began.

And the old rugged cross made the difference

In a life bound for heartache and defeat;

I will praise Him forever and ever

For the cross made the difference for me.

What's Edwina Been Up To

What's been going on with me since last post.

1. Extreme Home Make Over came to our town and built a home for a well deserving family.

The Kadiz Family

The show is to be aired around the 2nd week in April. My daughter and I went out on a Sunday afternoon and watched them lay the foundation, it was really neat. We didn't get to seeTy, but we did see Michael the designer.

Watched the Bachelor and was very disappointed... Promised to never watch again, until I heard Jillian was going to be the next Bachelorette.

I am still confused on Lost.

Softball has started up and hubby is playing again.

Our church started Rick Warren's 40 Days of Community and we are hosting a small group in our home. We have 5 young couples that are in it and we are all learning to LOVE more and build relationships together.

The GRANDbabies are growing more each day and are still the BEST thing that is happened to me (since my on two were born)!!!

And most exciting news is Spring Break is only 2 weeks away!!! And I am going on a well deserved cruise with my hubby. We are going to Belize and Cozumel, we have been there before, but heck we don't care....Just need to get away and soak in some Carribean Sun.

I will be back from time to time to post, but do know I am checking up on you all frequently.

'SECURITY'

"Security"One of the greatest human needs is a sense of security. In all aspects of life, we naturally gravitate towards anything that makes us feel safe"

This is a quote from David Bowman of the Bowman Art Studio in Snowflake, Arizona I ran across the awesome artwork of David Bowman while visiting another blog. I immediately gravitated towards this christian art. I think David has captivated exactly how Jesus feels about each and everyone of us, through his art "Security". Just like a child runs to the arms of his parent when he is hurt, discouraged or confused, this is the same way that we should do when we face trials and heartache. Jesus is our constant companion and his arms are opened wide and he loves for us to take comfort in him.

I am going to take some more time off of the blogging world. I do love it, don't get me wrong. There are a lot of new and interesting and loving friends out here, who genuinely care about each other. Spring is coming and that means getting outside when I come home from work and not sitting down at this computer for hours upon hours. I will be back from time to post something and to check up on all of you, but I really love spending time with my family and this darn blog is taking up way too much of my time. I just really been thinking lately, if you blog more each day than you spend time with your family or read your bible or pray. Than you might want to take a look at yourself also. Blogging is fun and it is fun giving and receiving comments, I think it makes some feel a sense of security inside this computer screen. But the reality is, that our lives are so beyond this computer screen. And our real security is in Jesus and the family that he so blessed each and everyone with.

So to each of you happy blogging and happy spring and pray that you each find security in the arms of Jesus.

HAPPY VALENTINES TO LEE

I want to dedicate this post to day to MY VALENTINE of 37 years. And so you can get to know him better and see why I love him sooooooooooooo much, I am going to list my favorite 10 things I love about him.





1. I love the heart that he has for God. We met in church when we were in the 9th grade and he has always put God first in his life. He has never waivered in his faith and he loves being a part of the church body of Christ. You are such an inspiration to the men of our church. Thanks for being an example of God's love.


2. I love the way that he loves me and takes care of me. He puts up with my ways and is so willing to look beyond all my little 'faults'. We have been happily married for 37 years. There is no one who could complete me like you !!!


3. I love the way he loves his children. We have two beautiful daughters, Kelly and Holly and he has always made sure that they were taken care of. He has sacrificed so much to see that their every need was met. He still has lunch everyday with our oldest daughter Kelly and he takes care of our baby girl Holly every morning. He cranks her car for her before work and makes sure her lunch is packed. What an awesome Dad you are!


4. I love the way that he loves those 3 GRAND babies, Jesse, Macy and Cole. To see him play or joke around with them, makes life so much fun. Thanks honey for being such a great Papa!!!


5. I love the way that his blue eyes sparkle.


6. I love watching him play softball. He loves the game and has played softball for all of our married life and I have been right there watching him throw out thoses pitches. You are an awesome player and I am so looking forward to this season to do it all over again.


7. I love the creative side of him. Lee is a Jeweler and makes the most beautiful jewelry. You can draw him a picture and he can create it. You make me proud and by the way I do love my ring!!!


8. I love his funny personality. He can make the saddest person laugh. He is the church comedian and everyone loves being around him. He always finds a way to make a gloomy day bright. He tries to see the positive in every situation. Thanks honey for being 'MY CLOWN'


9. I love the speical moments we share (and NO, I am not going to tell you about those), but you are the BEST honey!!!


10. And lastly, I JUST LOVE YOU ! My life would be so lonely without you in it. You have given me the BEST 37 years ever and I look forward to so many more.


HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO LEE, MY HUSBAND AND MY BEST FRIEND!!!

God Is Love

On Valentines Day, we show our love;
We express our deep affections.
Those who are important to us
Get cards and sweet confections.
But Christian love
is not just for
The ones we hold most dear
Jesus said "love everyone;"He made that very clear.
For Christians, it is every dayWe should care and love and serve
Everyone we meet in life,
Whether they do or don’t deserve.
Let’s follow Jesus’ good command
To love everyone we meet.
Valentine’s Day every day
Will make life twice as sweet.
I am so thankful on this Valentine's Day that I can share God's love with you.

My prayer is for each of you to know the love of the Father and that he will find favor in all of your lives and bless you and the ones you hold dear.

Valentine's Mailbox

Valentine's Day as a child was always a special time for me. I remember taking an old shoe box and getting some construction paper and cutting out hearts and gluing them to my box and cutting a little hole in the lid, just big enough for valentine cards to slip through. Sometimes, if we didn't have construction paper, we would use tinfoil to decorate the box and then glue pictures that we had colored on the box. Then off to school I would go and display my valentine's box the entire week before school on my desk, just waiting for all my friends to place a valentine card in my mailbox. It was such fun not only getting the cards but giving them away too. I bet some of you remember doing the same thing! So that we don't forget those good old days, I have gathered a few valentineremembrances for you.

I am mad at that OLD Groundhog!!!

Groundhog Day predicts another 6 weeks of winter for all.

I am mad at that old groundhog, it was 16 degrees here in North Florida last night and not a dab of snow. What the heck? Now, I know you all who have snow think I am crazy, but just a 1/2 inch so the babies and I could make snow angels, would have been nice.

I do hope we all thaw out before Spring break comes along next month, or we are going to freeze our little booties off at the beach.

Cleaning

Cleaning Poem
I asked the Lord to tell me Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering',And I had to answer 'yes.'
He told me to get off my butt And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...The smudges off my mouse.
I wiped and shined the topside. That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work..I didn't mean to 'click.
'But click, I did, and oops I found A real absorbing site.
That I got SO way into it. I was into it all night.
Nothing's changed except my mouse It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.
Today, is dedicated to all my blogging buddies who give up a little housework for a little blogging fun!

And to all of you please pick up this most sought after award from me to you, as my gift today !

Stop, Mommy It Hurts!!!

On Saturday, our family went to our favorite Wing spot for lunch and while we were waiting for our lunch to arrive, my 4 year old Grandson Cole decided to try and see if his head would fit in the back of the chair he was sitting in. We looked over and he was saying Help, Help, my head won't come out! My daughter and my husband started frantically trying to pull his head back through, to his pleas of "Stop Mommy it hurts" and "Ouch, Papa." I being the calm one said "why don't you just pull his body out the back way and they tried it and out he came. I should have taken a picture with my cell phone to show you all, but in the panic of the moment, that was the last thing of my mind. I did ask my daughter if we could reinact the moment and she looked at me with those sharp brown eyes and said "Mother, please". Moral of the story is don't go sticking your head it where it doesn't belong! And this reminded me of how we get into things we really shouldn't and our loving Father, reaches down and pulls us out.

Just Think In Colors

Got this as an email yesterday, too funny not to share with my blogging buddies.

Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.My blood pressure was high, my cholesterol was high,I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot.My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated and it would solve my physical problems. He said just think in colors...Fill your plate with bright colors... Greens, Yellows, Reds, etc.! I went right home and ate an entire bowl of: And sure enough, I felt better immediately.I never knew eating right could be so easy.

Guess Which One Is Not Protected!

One day after President Obama took office he and Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, lifted a ban on federal funding for international groups that promote or perform abortions, thus reversing the policy put back in place by former President George W.Bush.

Douglas Johnson of the National Right To Life committee made the following statement: "President Obama not long ago told the American people that he would support policies to reduce abortions, but today he is effectively guaranteeing more abortions by funding groups that promote abortion as a method of population control,"Please join with me, and lets make it a point to pray for 'The Unprotected' in the Right to Life. (If you would like to copy and post this to you blog post, please feel free. The more we have praying the better.